Coachella community reborn as campers roll in

Apr. 11, 2013

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Written by

Lynn Lieu

The Desert Sun

Kyle Carlson and Laudan Yavari, both of San Diego, wait in line to get into the campground at the site of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival in Indio on Thursday. / Richard Lui/The Desert Sun

TRAFFIC ALERT

Both Indio and La Quinta are expecting traffic delays during both weekends of Coachella, April 12-14 and April 19-21. During these days a number of roads will be closed and there will be no pedestrians or pedestrian festival access allowed on Monroe and Madison streets between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52. Pedestrian access is available at the corner of Avenue 49 and Monroe Street and at Avenue 52 and Madison Street. A taxi and drop-off area has been designated on Avenue 52 and Madison Street inside the venue. Please plan ahead. • Jefferson Street, southbound, from Interstate 10 to Avenue 52 • Washington Street, southbound, from I-10 to Avenue 52 • Monroe Street, southbound, from I-10 to Avenue 52 • Highway 111 at Jefferson and Monroe streets • I-10 exit eastbound at Jefferson and Monroe streets • Avenue 49 between Hjorth and Monroe streets • Avenue 50 between Madison and Jackson streets • Madison street between Avenue 49 and Avenue 52

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INDIO — Thousands of campers rolled into the Empire Polo Club on Thursday for the coveted first weekend of the Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.

“This is my fourth Coachella and time camping. You’re more a part of the experience,” said Dustin Adler, who arrived Thursday with about 30 of his pals from San Diego. “There’s an energy. It’s all around all the time. It doesn’t stop when you go home at night and you can keep coming back and forth from the venue and your home base.”

As the sun began to set Thursday, a line of cars still circled the field. As they waited, some people hung out in the backs of trucks, others sat patiently inside their vehicles as police patrolled the area, and the campers who made it inside set up their temporary homes for the weekend.

Making the two-hour trek, Adler said the wait to get in feels the longest, but is ultimately worth it.

Melissa Mimosa Sierra, who caravanned down from San Jose with her siblings and a friend in two cars, agreed.

“We’ve always camped,” said Sierra, who added that this year marks her third time at Coachella. “And there’s that whole night life for the campers to go party in the roller rink and all that. There’s a whole thing that’s opened to 6 in the morning with swings that make music and obstacle things for you to climb on and it feels like Coachella never ended. You’re still partying on the land.”

This year the folks from Red Bull added another element to the camping experience.

“The Red Bull Speakeasy Distillery will be set in the campgrounds,” said Jordan Miller, senior communications manager for the energy drink company. “It’s an extension of the Red Bull Speakeasy located on the festival grounds. Based on the Speakeasy’s popularity from last year, we expanded into the campgrounds. It’s not only providing a point of sale location but will be a hub for the camping community to hang out at.”

Last year, Red Bull set up a speakeasy inside one of the festival beer gardens.

Access to the area required a password that the company ended up tweeting.

This year access to the speakeasy will be available to all campers and festival pass holders with the password: “Dances with Bulls.”

“Camping is the way to go,” said Sierra. “I feel like it’s part of the experience. I feel like it makes it Coachella.”